./assets/video/intro
The Global Wild Cat
Conservation Organization
Continue to Panthera.org
Panthera Announces Creation of New Conservation Council to Support Its Leadership Role in Preserving the Big Cats
Renowned Actresses and Conservationists Glenn Close and Jane Alexander to Chair Panthera’s Conservation Council Comprised of Leaders from the Arts, Business, Politics, Media, and Military

August 23, 2017    

Media Contact: Panthera - Susie W. Sheppard, sweller@panthera.org, 347-446-9904

NEW YORK, NY — Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, today announced that it has convened more than 60 of the most respected figures from the worlds of business, law enforcement, government, fashion, media, entertainment, tourism, the military, and the arts in its Conservation Council, a global advisory board.

In a commitment of service unprecedented in the conservation community for its diverse scope and potential impact on the preservation of the world’s wild cats and their critical ecosystems, influential leaders in multiple fields, including Jeremy Irons, General David Petraeus, Sir Norman Rosenthal, and artist Maya Lin, have joined forces to save the world’s most charismatic wildlife.

Glenn Close and Jane Alexander, renowned stars of stage and screen and committed conservationists, will chair the Conservation Council, which, with its collective reach and influence, creates a conservation juggernaut to be unleashed on saving the world’s vanishing wild cats and their landscapes.

Ms. Close said, “For the millions of people around the globe who refuse to envision a future without wild cats and the wild places they need to thrive, we have Panthera. I am so proud to be a part of this wonderful organization that is standing squarely between big cats and the perilous threats they face—a global protective force that is turning the tide for our most iconic and vulnerable species. It's no wonder that Panthera has attracted so many leading figures to its cause; they know that you must be smart and fearless to confront and solve the world’s most intractable challenges and Panthera is both.”

Ms. Alexander added, “When we think of freedom, when we envision the great predators that roam the forests, the mountains and the savannahs, the tiger comes to mind, the lion, the jaguar and the leopard. It is thrilling to share our planet with them. And as top predators they keep it in balance.

But all wild cats today are threatened by human incursion, every single one of them, and some are on the brink of extinction. Panthera works to save them through keeping their habitats in tact, ending poaching, and ensuring healthy genetics for future generations. I am proud to be helping this remarkable organization. If there is a future for great cats it is in the hands of Panthera and its partners globally.”

Members of the Conservation Council provide Panthera with actionable advice on a wide variety of topics fundamental to the growth and development of the organization, including strategy and operational planning, communications, and expansion of Panthera’s network. The Council members’ global reach into the worlds of public policy, media, and entertainment will serve to extend Panthera’s message to new audiences and open up new avenues of support. 

Dr. Thomas Kaplan, Chairman of Panthera’s Board of Directors, said, “Panthera is extremely humbled and fortunate to have access to the wide-ranging and deep expertise of this august body of individuals. Though diverse in their vocations, geographies, and worldviews, they are united by their shared optimism that together we can change the course of cat conservation and realize the cascading benefits on all species that come from saving the “umbrella species” that the cats represent in their critical landscapes. We are extraordinarily grateful for their selfless commitment to Panthera’s mission and know that our efforts to protect wild cats around the world will benefit greatly from their guidance and collective passion.”

Among the Council’s members are some of the most notable names in their respective fields, including singer Shania Twain and leading conservationists Kris Tompkins, former CEO of Patagonia, as well as Fashion Week founder Fern Mallis, author Wilbur Smith, ProPublica’s Andrew Revkin, the BBC’s Kate Silverton, and MSNBC political analyst Nicolle Wallace, to name a few.

Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, CEO of Panthera, said, “It’s a testament to the universal allure of wild cats, and the urgency of their plight, that we are able to convene this extraordinary gathering of minds. Gratefully, we look forward to drawing upon their talents to increase our impact and advance our mission.”

Hermès Artistic Director, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, said, “Panthera’s commitment to rigorous science, and their unique understanding of man’s complex relationship with big cats, promises hope for these iconic animals.”

Appointees to the Conservation Council are voted on to the Council by Panthera’s Board of Directors for their ability to provide valuable expertise and guidance that complements the skills of Panthera’s boards and staff. Panthera is also guided by its Scientific Council, made up of some of the world’s leading cat biologists, which advises the organization on science and policy matters.

Award-winning Singer and Songwriter and Panthera Global Leopard Ambassador, Shania Twain, said, "The image and spirit of the leopard is an inspiration to millions around the world, including myself. I feel privileged to give back to a creature that depends for its future on what we do now to save it… and I urge the wider world to join Panthera and me in this mission." 
Council Members
Jane Alexander
Co-chair
Dedicated Conservationist
Award-winning Actress of Screen and Stage

Abeer Al-Otaiba
Businessperson and Philanthropist
Founder and Creative Director of the designer line SemSem

H.E. Yousef Al-Otaiba
Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the United States

Tom Anderson
Producer, formerly of CBS' 60 Minutes

Ruth Brenner
Philanthropist and Conservationist

Ambassador Antonin Baudry
Author and Entrepreneur
Former Ambassador for Culture and President of the Institut Français

Jean-François Camilleri
President, Echo Studio

Celina Chien
Photojournalist and Conservationist

Ally Coulter
Designer, Ally Coulter Design

Ian Craig
Wildlife Conservationist
Co-Founder Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the Northern Rangelands Trust

Frédéric Dallet
Collector
Custodian of the estate of the artist Robert Dallet

Itzhak Dar
Security Analysis and Intelligence
Shafran Consulting and Management

Francois Delattre
Secretary General of France's Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs
Former Ambassador of France to the U.S. and the U.N.

Jean Doumanian
Stage, Film, and Television Producer
Jean Doumanian Productions

Pierre-Alexis Dumas
Artistic Director, Hermès

Susan Engel
Director and Executive Producer, 92Y Talks

Ali Erfan
Businessman and Philanthropist
Founder and Chairman, the Cogito Scholarship Foundation

Yvan-Lledo Ferrer
Intelligence College in Europe 

Sally Fischer
Branding Strategist and Cause Activist
Sally Fischer Public Relations

Jane Fraser
Philanthropist
President of the Stuttering Foundation of America

Yanina Fuertes
Entrepreneur and Conservationist
CEO, Corso Como, Inc.

Rick Gerson
Hedge Fund Manager
Chairman, Falcon Edge Capital

Loïc Gouzer
Conservation Activist
Former Deputy Chairman, Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie's

Ben Hall
Chairman, Americas at Christie's

Jennifer Hall
Vice-President of Client Development, Christie's

Charles Hansard
Investor
Board Member, Moore Global Investments Ltd.

Stan Herman
Fashion Designer
Past President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
Co-creator of New York Fashion Week

Richard Hurowitz
Publisher, The Octavian Report

Sharon Hurowitz
Curator and Art Advisor
Coplan Hurowitz Art Advisory

Jeremy Irons
Award Winning Actor of Screen and Stage

Geoffrey Kent
Travel Entrepreneur
Chairman and CEO, Abercrombie and Kent

Mohamed Khashoggi
Writer, Conservationist
Chairman, M K Associates

Dr. Paul Klotman
President and CEO, Baylor College of Medicine

Stephen S. Lash
Chairman Emeritus, Christie's Americas
Chairman Emeritus, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University

Aurélien Lechevallier
Diplomatic Advisor to the President of France

H.E. Jean-David Levitte
Former Ambassador of France to the U.S and the U.N. Former Head of the National Security Council

Michael Levy
Founder and CEO, The Levy Production Group

James Lieber
Strategic Consulting
Founder, Lieber Strategies

Maya Lin
Artist, Designer and Conservationist
Maya Lin Studio

Fern Mallis
Creator of New York Fashion Week and the Fashion Icon series
President of Fern Mallis LLC

Dr. Bassem Masri
Director of Preventive Cardiology, Weill Cornell Medical Center
Edith McBean
Dedicated Conservationist

Dr. John Mitchell
Chair of theBoard of Trustees for Bat Conservation International and World Land Trust-USA
Former Executive Secretary and Chairman of the Beneficia Foundation

Katherine Mitchell
Artist, Nature Enthusiast

Wendi Deng Murdoch
Businessperson, Investor, and Film Producer

Otto Naumann
Art Historian
Senior Vice President and Client Development Director, Sotheby’s

H. E. Lana Nusseibeh
Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations

H. Merritt Paulson, III
CEO, Portland Timbers

General David Petraeus
Director of the KKR Global Institute
Four Star General (Ret.), Commander and Strategist, US Army

Jonathan Powell
Diplomat and Author
CEO, Inter Mediate
Former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Tony Blair

Arnaud de Puyfontaine
CEO, Vivendi

Andrew Revkin
Strategic Advisor for Environmental and Science Journalism, National Geographic Society
Former reporter for The New York Times and Senior Fellow for Environmetnal Understanding,
Pace University

Alex Rosenberg
Founder and CEO, Originals
Former Business Executive, Kanye West and Yeezy

Sir Norman Rosenthal 
Curator and Art Historian
Former Exhibitions Secretary, The Royal Academy

Andy Sabin
Entrepreneur and Conservationist
Chairman, Sabin Metal Corporation, and Founder, Andrew Sabin Family Foundation

Jaqui Safra
Investor, Collector, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist

Luana Saghieh
Cat Conservationist
Foreign Affairs and Policy Professional, U.S. Government

Lord Sarfraz
Member of the House of Lords

HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud
Ambassador to the United States for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Dr. Claudio Segré
Economist and Banker
Founder, Fondation Segré

Vance Serchuk
Eecutive Director of the KKR Global Institute
Former Senior Foreign Policy Adviser to Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)
Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve

Nina Siemiatkowski
Wildlife Photographer and Marketing Advisor to Conservation Organizations

Kate Silverton
Journalist
Anchor for BBC News

Wilbur Smith
Author and Philanthropist
Founder, Wilbur Smith Foundation

Daisy Soros
Philanthropist
Chairman of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

Lieutenant-Colonel Timothy Spicer, OBE
Strategist
Founder of Aegis Defense Services

Michael Steinhardt
Philanthropist and Financier
Chairman, The Wisdom Tree

Steven Stone
Attorney and Conservationist Activist
Partner, Rubin, Winston, Diercks, Harris & Cooke, LLP

Amanda Tapiero
Art Educator and Collector

Frédéric Thiébaud
Business Executive
CEO, The Shania Kids Can Foundation

Baron Lorne Thyssen-Bornemisza
Collector, Investor, and Entrepreneur
Founder, Kallos Gallery

Henry Timms
CEO and President, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Founder of #GivingTuesday

Kris Tompkins
Philanthropist and Entrepreneur
Founder and President, Conservación Patagónica
Former CEO of Patagonia, Inc.

Rhett Turner
Film maker and Conservationist

Shania Twain
Award-winning Singer and Songwriter
Philanthropist and Advocate for Children's Education and Empowerment

Johnny Van Haeften
Fine Art Dealer
Johnny Van Haeften Ltd.

Eric Vincent
President, Sarissa Capital Management

Nicolle Wallace
Political Analyst and Television News Anchor, MSNBC

Ambassador Mark Wallace
Former US Ambassador to the UN, Representative for UN Management and Reform

Diana Walters
Strategic Advisor in the Natural Resources Industry

Daniel Wolf
Art Collector, Producer, and Conservationist, Daniel Wolf Photography